They Didn't Know (A Minizerk Fanfiction) {HIATUS}

Chapter 11: Tears

Josh's POV:

Another successful few hours of Pokémon hunting. It turned out that Ethan was joining us, and Vikk hadn't told me, so the three of us went into London. We were slightly later back than expected, which probably meant I'd be editing when I should have been asleep, but oh well, I don't mind. I parked the car, got out, and entered the house with Vikk right behind me. I didn't hear anything as I walked in, though, I don't know what I was expecting. Simon would be either editing or asleep, and I would presume the same could be said for Jide.

I headed straight for the kitchen as Vikk went upstairs to his room. Nothing was said, but nothing needed to be said because we'd been talking the whole time we'd been hunting and on the drive back. I did bring up the topic of Simon, but only to ask Vikk if Simon had talked to him, and I waited until after we'd dropped Ethan off before I said anything. Vikk's reply was that Simon hadn't said anything since he told him, and that I just needed to be patient and wait for Simon to be ready. I must admit, this is starting to slightly frustrate me, but I will wait until he's ready. The last thing I want to do is pressure him into anything.

After grabbing myself a drink, I headed up to my room to do a little bit of editing and then hopefully get some sleep. I think I can go without a little sleep though, it's not the most important thing in the world.

*****

I just can't focus on editing. I've been sat here for nearly half an hour and I've barely done anything. I just can't stop thinking about Simon and what he isn't telling me. But why is it bothering me now? It's been fine until now. Something just feels off. I feel like there's something wrong. Maybe you should just approach him about it. Maybe I should.

I saved the editing I had done up until this point and made my way out of my room and towards Simon's stairway. I only got to the bottom of the stairs before I stopped in my tracks. Is that... crying... I hear? And there's only one place it can be coming from, since JJ isn't here right now. I climbed the stairs as quickly as I could without making too much noise so he didn't hear me and try to cover it up.

When I reached the top, what I thought was true. Simon was in his room, crying. Simon doesn't cry. I don't think I've seen him cry, ever, or at least in a long time. Then why were his eyes red and puffy and bloodshot when you saw him when he distanced himself? He was crying then and you never noticed. How did I not notice? I'd been so blind. I'm such a bad friend that I didn't notice he was hurting, or that he'd been crying. Now isn't the time to be thinking about yourself, this is about him.

I stood beside his door with my hand on the handle and pushed it down slowly, hoping he hadn't pushed anything against the door to keep the rest of us out. Luckily, he hadn't, and I pushed the handle all the way down. I opened the door a little and poked my head around to see him, still sat in the same place as he was when I left.

"Si?" I called out quietly as I walked in. He jumped, obviously too wound up in his own thoughts to hear me coming in.

Simon's POV:

Shit. I didn't even realise they were back. I didn't move or turn to face the voice to find out who it was, because I already knew and I didn't want to face him. Why wasn't I quieter? Why wasn't I more careful? The last thing I wanted to happen has happened; he's found me at my lowest.

"Si, answer me." I still couldn't move. I didn't want to see the pity on his face, or whatever reaction he would have to me crying. I don't cry, that's not me. Well, it wasn't, but that was then, I was a different person. That me would never have expected himself to be gay or to have fallen for his straight best friend who had a girlfriend.

"Si, please, just answer me or at least look at me." I heard him take a few steps toward me and the door click shut. Don't look at him, he'll just laugh at you. He doesn't care. He does, I know he does.

"Si, please." I couldn't read the emotion from his voice. Was it... Sadness? Desperation? I couldn't tell. Then I felt my chair move, as it was swivelled around to face him. So many emotions in his eyes, but the main one? Care.

I don't know what came over me but seconds later I found myself moving from my chair for the first time in hours, to hug Josh. I nearly knocked him over in the process, but I hope he doesn't mind. He hugged me back, whispering "It's okay, shhh." repeatedly in my ear to calm me down as I just cried into his shoulder. Why am I such a mess? What happened to me?

After a couple of minutes, my tears subsided and we were just left standing. Josh guided us towards my bed and sat us both down next to each other, with his arm still resting across my shoulders, so that we could speak. Not that I wanted to, but I couldn't exactly say I was fine now, Josh already knew I wasn't.

"I know you don't want to talk to me, and you've been trying to avoid me so that you don't, but I need you to tell me what's going on, Simon. It hurts me to see you in so much pain." He doesn't care, he's just saying that. No, I'm not listening to you anymore, you've caused enough problems. He does care, and I will tell him regardless of what follows.

I sniffled, trying to find the right words to say but I just couldn't come up with anything.

"It's okay Si, just take your time. You don't have to tell me straight away, but I do need to know. It isn't going to affect how I see you, no matter what, you'll still be my best friend."

"You say that now Josh, but you don't know what I'm going to say."

"I promise you, I won't let it affect us, okay?" I looked at him and he just nodded his head slightly to tell me to go ahead.

I looked down again, not wanting to see how he reacted. "Josh I'm...I'm...gay."

A/N I am sooooo sorry for not updating, I just wanted this chapter to be good enough and went through a patch of writer's block in the process, but it's here now, and the next chapter shouldn't take too long either.

I also apologise for how pixelated the gif is, I just thought it worked for this chapter (because Minizerk hugs).

Also, thank you so much for 1.4k reads! That's amazing!

Until next time
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